Caustic Chemical Lovers

When SDSU journalism major Chris Coyle wrote a CD review for My Chemical Romance's Black Parade album, he found out the extent of his readership.

"One person wrote, 'I wish you'd fuck off and die,' " says Coyle, a 22-year-old senior and staff writer for "Tempo," the twice-weekly entertainment section that appears in the Daily Aztec. The review was picked up by Uwire, a news service that shares articles with other college papers.

"It ran at the University of Nebraska, some college in Georgia, and another one on the East Coast. What pissed off the most people was that I wrote that [My Chemical Romance's] music is for a mass audience that is less educated. People wrote back saying I was full of crap because their school was tougher to get into than San Diego State."

Coyle says 500 responses to his CD review were forwarded to thedailyaztec.com but that only 49 are posted.

"I was told they were too inappropriate to be on the website.... One person found my MySpace page and criticized the music I like. They said that those bands I like -- the Stooges and Mudhoney and Rocket From the Crypt -- meant nothing. That I was simply not open to new music."

My Chemical Romance played a sold-out show last Sunday at the Sports Arena. Coyle remains unmoved.

"My Chemical Romance is...on Reprise Records, the label that gave us Linkin Park and HIM...the same label that changed Green Day from a Bay Area punk trio into a drag queen Broadway production.... It's the great undefined generation [of music lovers]; half the people don't know where to go and are still listening to what MTV has to offer. The other half is clinging to the old stuff -- the Pixies, Sonic Youth, and Rocket."

Coyle says his Aztec gig doesn't pay. "But I do get free CDs. The My Chemical Romance CD is now a coaster at my house."

Coyle is a guitarist/singer in local bands Hollywood Begs and the Ruby Settlers.